Some details and background of
Majestic Dimensional Fidelity
- Angelo Montrone, Majestic Music Founder
Majestic Dimensional Fidelity (MDM) is our own standard of audio excellence assuring the listener that the audio has been exceptionally well recorded, mixed and mastered and is exceptional in clarity, detail, dynamics and dimension.
The determination for this is made by audio professionals at Majestic Music and we stake our reputation on it.
We also release recordings made outside of Majestic Studio that have this stamp of approval. Some of these meet our standard as is, and some can be enhanced with our equipment and techniques. We may also release recordings that do not bear the MDM stamp but are exceptional musically.
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MDM is an extension of what I have done as a producer and A&R man for record labels over the years. Part of this job entailed assuring that mixes and final masters met the record labels’ standards of quality. At that time the "major label sound" was something everyone aspired to and good money was spent on talented engineers in great studios to achieve it.
With MDM I have established an even higher standard of audio excellence, because I believe we are capable of it, and with time and experimentation we have come up with techniques and methods that move things further. Our techniques, tools and general philosophy are outlined below and on our Audio Evolution page.
How should sound sound?
Judging sound quality is somewhat subjective, similar to judging food or wine. Ultimately, the measure is, does it capture and involve you and make you want to listen more?
In some cases, the goal might be to feel as if you’re in the room with the musicians -that the elements like the singer, the brass section, the guitars are so real you can reach out and touch them. In other cases, there is intentional artistic abstraction. Maybe the goal is to sound lo-fi like an old recording or that the musicians are performing in a huge stadium. In each of these cases, you want to be fully convinced of the intended artistic vision.
Our goal is to create recordings that provide the maximum emotional impact and a deeply involved listening experience.
Where do we start?
Detail
Our brains are highly evolved to process sound and can pick up on the most subtle aural cues to create a sound picture. This means that the more detail we deliver in our recordings, the more impactful and involving the listening experience will be.
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Capturing detail requires using the best recording equipment: microphones, mic preamps, processors, AD converters, etc.
Ambience (the acoustics around the sound source)
Milliseconds after we hear a sound, we begin to hear reflections of that sound bouncing off of walls, the floor, the ceiling and any other objects in the room, which provides information about what type of acoustic space the sound is in. This is called ambience, and it has a strong emotional impact on us. An instrument or voice in a small room can sound intimate, but in a huge concert hall it can sound powerful and majestic. Additionally, ambience creates a sense of dimensional space for the listener.
We have put tremendous effort into our acoustic spaces and how we use and manipulate ambience both real and artificial (ie any devices used to create reverb & echo). This is addressed in detail on our page Audio Evolution
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Detail and ambience are two key components that form the foundation of Majestic Dimensional Fidelity.
Recording Techniques
Quality recordings start with a mastery of the fundamentals, using microphone, recording and mixing techniques learned from golden ear engineers of the past, then we add our own techniques and insight to move things forward.
In addition, our mastering process avoids over use of brick wall limiting, instead choosing to provide a more dynamic, open and inviting musical experience. Our Dimensional Ambience Process, Analog Ambience Mixing technique, Invisible Chamber, and use of Analog Tape are just a few of the techniques we've developed (or adapted) in order to provide the detail and ambience that results in an impactful and involving listening experience. Our page Audio Evolution pulls back the curtain on many of these techniques.
Instruments and Musicians
Even with all of the above, a great musician really makes a difference not just in performance, but in sound quality. Great musicians have both musical virtuosity and the ability to make their instruments sing beautifully, and the microphones love that! Also, pairing a musician with a beautifully resonant instrument gives them an expressive tool with which to convey their feelings and can inspire them. We have a collection of instruments (new and vintage) ranging from drums to guitars, amps & keyboards that were all hand picked for their sonic excellence and took decades to acquire.
Mastering and Dynamics
One parameter than can be measured is dynamics which can be lost by the limiting process (a method employed to reduce excessive dynamics that could damage a system) in mastering or mixing. For this we use the K-System which is designed to assure a certain level of dynamics is preserved in the audio.
What it isn't
MDM is not: a digital or analog encoder that the sound is run through, anything to do with Spacial Audio, Surround, Atmos and the like.
Equipment
World class equipment in the hands of an experience, recording engineer is a recipe for success. Every piece of equipment at Majestic Studio is there because it imparts a unique character to the music. Together these form the pallet of colors from which an engineer can paint the sound: accurate, romantic, exciting, somber…
Great tools help the engineer achieve his/her vision. It starts with excellent recording room acoustics and a highly accurate control (listening) room. Of course, one needs excellent microphones to properly capture the performance. The rest of the signal chain needs to be on par: mic preamps, compressors, equalizers, effects processors and digital converters. In addition are considerations of sample rates, the electrical system, wiring, tubes.
Then there is the consideration of using the equipment to enhance the emotional impact,of hitting a properly aligned 2" 16 track Ampex tape machine.
So much to think about, and we've spent decades thinking, listening to, experimenting with and modifying gear trying to push the envelope, all so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy a high resolution audio experience. Learn more about our gear below and here: Audio Evolution